sslav Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Was shooting a small practice match on friday. There is a very simple stage - 5 "turtle" targets and a couple of NS. So I figgure no reason to go through the whole procedure with stripping a round off a mag then loading a full mag (and yes I know you can have 11 in the first one). Five targets - 10 rounds - no problem. On signal I draw and am having a pretty good (by my standards anyway) stage. Until on the last target the gun goes bang-click. Without thinking I rake the slide and end up in a slide lock with an empty mag. By the time I reload and finish the stage I would have been better off taking a mike. That was the last time I ever load less than the maximum I am allowed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParaJoe Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 This has happened to me before and then I started having two types of magazines, full and empty. No where in between, ever. As soon as I complete a course and pick up my mags they are either emptied back into my bag or filled up and put in the bag or on the belt. It helps. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airic Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Good thing it happened to you in the small practice match.....instead of a bigger match. Lesson learned! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racerba Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Also fill your mag pouches on your belt with those full mags. A friend once had a similar situation. 18 round course or something like that. He had one mag in the gun and one mag to reload - PD. He figured he didn't need any more mag than the ones he had. Well, in the end, he had a jam and a couple of misses (there were steels involved). He ran out of bullets and had to take a couple of FTEs. Again, luckily it was a local match and not a major one. And this guy has mags out the wahzoo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasmap Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 (edited) I download and then reload my mags between each and every stage. I have too many brain farts to trust myself. Edited January 8, 2007 by jasmap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Bell Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 I download and then reload my mags between each and every stage. I have too many brain farts to trust myself. I shoot single stack with 8 loaded magazines. I have one in the gun, four that are quickly available on my belt, two in my left rear pocket just in case and one in my right rear pocket that is the source of the round in the chamber. Magazines are never returned to my gun, belt or pockets unless they are full. Lee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brundoggie Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Always fill your mags, always fill your mag pouches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 There is a time to download mags. On classifiers or other COF that require multiple mag changes with limited rounds as in Virginia count..... On El Pres I only put 12-14 rounds in the mag instead of 18-19..... I shot L10 for a while and liked the way 10 rounds felt in the 140 mags from my OLD Bianchi hemisphere rig. On field courses the mags get cleaned every stage and fully loaded or they don't get back in the belt!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
void Posted January 11, 2007 Share Posted January 11, 2007 Always fill your mags, always fill your mag pouches. Follow without warning nature will soon set in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trooper Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 You guys would fit in well Down Under... we have a 10 round mag restriction.... so lots of mag changes... I learnt the lesson early to always wear at least 5 full mags! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
born-in-45 Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 Had a stage where it only required 2 mags so I figured why load myself down with extra mags. One mag in the gun and one on the belt. The shooter's "box" was walled in by 4' high walls and of course there were a few laydown targets right behind the walls. I start blasting away and when it comes time for the mag change I slam it in, lean over the barrier to hit a laydown and the mag promptly drops out. So there I stand with an empty gun and a full mag laying on the other side of the wall out of my reach. Didn't score too well on that stage but learned my lesson. Load every pouch with a full mag before going to the line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maineshootah Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 This has happened to me before and then I started having two types of magazines, full and empty. No where in between, ever.Joe +1 great words to live by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 This has happened to me before and then I started having two types of magazines, full and empty. I simplified that one to one type of magazine during a match: Full. The minute I'm done with the stage, I go reload ALL of my magazines. It really saves a lot of worry and scrambling. I only have unloaded mags at the end of the match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micah Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 My last stage at the 06 Ohio Sectional was a two string deal that had mandatory reloads. Thinking I only needed 4 mags, I loaded up and began... First string, no problem. At the beginning of the second string, I had two used magazines at my feet, one fresh mag in my gun, and one on by belt. I butchered the reload, dropping my last magazine in the pile of used mags. I picked the wrong one from the ground and destroyed my error free match preformance. The two lessons learned were... 1)ALWAYS have more mags than you need 2)Move those used mags out of the way on multiple string stages! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcarter Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 I've never done this......yet. But hearing about others mistakes.....1st makes me feel better about mine and 2nd may help me from making your mistakes on top of mine.....thanks for sharing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinMike Posted February 27, 2007 Share Posted February 27, 2007 I was shooting a steel match one time and my gun went "click." I didn't get my mags reloaded before stepping up to the line. There were a few newbies on the squad, as I recall, and I was the last shooter on the previous stage. I intended to reload mags after walking over to the next stage. I started to load up, but one of the new guys was asking some questions and I tried to help him out. About then, the RO (I won't mention any names, but it rhymes with X-Ray ) barks at us to help with painting the steel. We were a small squad and so I go help, walking away from my bag with empty mags. I'm full-on distracted now and next thing I know, it's my turn to shoot and with all the rushing around, I completely forgot about my mags. Damn. Must resist urge to force empty mags down said RO's throat when he says "that's why I always reload immediately after I shoot." I try to take care of my equipment immediately after shooting now, but it's tough sometimes. I'm too much of a gentleman at times and I hate to sound like an ass and tell people I'm busy, get somebody else to do it. I've had several matches lately where we had smallish squads and a few less experienced people. I end up helping RO or scorekeeping right up until before I shoot and my mind is mush when I step to the line. I completely blew two stages at a recent match because of this. So, I don't care how much it holds things up, I WILL take the time I need to prepare before and after I shoot so I can do my best. I'm relatively new myself and I don't shoot the straightest arrow as it is! I need all the preparation time I can get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Merriam Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 My very first big match I shot. Started to rain and we went to the chrono....so I stripped some off one mag and gave to the chrono man. Forgot to top off mag....raining and ready to get it over with. Went to the next stage..a fairly long one..shot down into the bay and was getting to the end and making my last mag change. As I grabbed the mag, my mind said TOO LIGHT so I dropped it and grabbed another full one. Cost me nearly nothing for time, as I was on the move, but sent me a clear message. Full on belt...anything less goes into the bag. The weather can cause you to get out of normal habits...even more reason to bare down and stay focused. I feel your pain above...helping can cost you...I make it a habit to go straight to my bag and take care of my mags before even moving to any other stage or doing anything other than shooting. I shot a big match once on a Friday with the RO's...weather turned bad and we had to do everything including RO ourselves and solve any problems with the stage...very hard to do and will not do it again. I love to help but it is much more fun without a holster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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